Puncture facts and mysteries | bike blog

Thup thup thup thup thup thup thup thup. It's not a sound any cyclist wants to hear. You still wake up sometimes, don't you? You wake up in the dark and hear the punctures thup-thup-thupping? I heard the thup-thup sound coming from my tyre just now. Bad news, but on the bright side, it means I've got another item to add to my list of Puncture Facts and Mysteries.

What I know, as of today, is that I'll be more cautious when I stop to check on the thup-thup sound. It might be an RBPT (ruddy big pointy thing) scraping on the mudguard as it goes around. The pointy thing might be the only thing keeping the air in the tyre, so I'll have a closer look before slapping it off and getting back in the saddle.

Like all the other items of knowledge on my list, this latest one is (a) based only on limited personal experience and (b) a touchstone of absolute truth, to be imparted down the pub whenever punctures are discussed.

Facts:

• Punctures come in threes; if you get one, you've a 46.8% chance of getting another each time you go out until you reach your three.

• People who work in bike workshops don't use tyre levers, because their combination of knowledge and forearm strength is enough. Always.

• It's a good idea to carry a spare inner tube.

• You should let the glue go slightly tacky on the repair patch before you put it on.

•If you haven't got a repair kit, you can pack your tyre with grass and go a few miles that way. I think.

Mysteries:

• What's the 3cm rubber enema tube in puncture repair kits for?

• How long do you really need to wait between putting the patch on and inflating the tyre? Or is it OK to inflate the tube straight away, because it compresses the patch between tyre and tube?

• I don't do that thing that my dad showed me with the crushed chalk any more. The repair works without it. I also don't wait for the glue to go slightly tacky. Should I feel as guilty as I do?